The Sports Report: Anthony Davis powers Lakers into playoff series lead
Howdy, I’m your host, Austin Knoblauch, filling in for Houston Mitchell, who’s on vacation (probably wearing a Max Muncy jersey while chilling on a Lake Tahoe houseboat). Let’s get right to the news.
Dan Woike on the Lakers: Two down, 14 to go. Count it. That was the message LeBron James walked down the floor in front of the rich and famous back courtside in Staples Center, one finger in the air, tallying the latest Lakers points — this time on a bucket from Anthony Davis after a pinpoint James assist.
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And he wasn’t done adding them up.
After both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket in the previous quarter, the third belonged to Davis — the Lakers’ star too strong and too skilled for a Suns defense that again couldn’t contain him.
And with James bulldozing the defense, the Lakers’ stars outshone anything Phoenix could put together.
Davis scored 18 of his 34 points and James added 10 of his 21 in the third quarter, leading the Lakers to a 109-95 win, putting them ahead 2-1 in their first-round series with the Suns, getting the Lakers another step closer to their goal to repeat.
Davis and James outscored the Suns 28-23 in the third quarter by themselves, giving the Lakers some space after a defensive first half.
“It’s the playoffs,” Davis said.
With an estimated 7,500 fans at the game — the most this season at Staples Center — James had the crowd on their feet in the fourth, torching series villain Jae Crowder with a flurry of moves, capped with an acrobatic reverse.
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DODGERS
Mike DiGiovanna on the Dodgers: The last time Max Muncy faced Alex Wood in Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers infielder walked away with a broken left ring finger, an injury that contributed to a brutal start to 2020 in which Muncy hit .169 with five RBIs in his first 20 games.
Facing each other in an intrasquad game last July, Muncy, struggling to pick up the ball in the new batter’s eye of a renovated stadium, was hit in the hand by a pitch from the former Dodgers left-hander.
The two squared off again Thursday night when Wood took the mound for the Giants in the first of a four-game series between the National League West rivals.
The rematch was a lot more gratifying for Muncy, who crushed a tiebreaking homer to right-center field in the sixth inning to lift the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory over the Giants before a reduced-capacity crowd of 16,343.
MORE ON THE LAKERS
David Wharton on the Lakers: With their lease at Staples Center expiring in a few years, the Lakers could have followed the Clippers’ plan, moving to another part of town, building their own arena and keeping all the revenue.
Instead, the defending NBA champions have chosen to stay put.
In a deal expected to be announced Thursday, the franchise will extend its lease with owner AEG for another two decades through 2041. The agreement includes a commitment to spend “nine figures” on capital improvements and upgrades throughout the 22-year-old arena.
A team official said renovations were key to the extension, as was a desire to remain downtown.
“Location, location, location,” said Tim Harris, president of business operations for the franchise. “We’re in the heart of L.A. and the infrastructure is building up all around us.”
ANGELS
Jack Harris on the Angels: Chris Bassitt threw a complete-game shutout and the Athletics exploded for five runs in the sixth inning against the Angels’ bullpen to earn a 5-0 win in the series opener at RingCentral Coliseum.
The Angels’ lineup had been heating up entering Thursday, scoring 26 runs during the team’s three-game winning streak.
But then they ran into Bassitt, mustering just two hits and one walk against the A’s right-hander.
In what was his first career complete game and shutout, Bassitt struck out nine batters and gave up only two hits: an infield single by Juan Lagares in the second and a double by Justin Upton in the ninth.
Shohei Ohtani, batting second as the designated hitter after his pregame travel adventures, drew one walk.
Other than that, the Angels failed to make much solid contact against Bassitt, recording only three hard hit balls (those with exit velocities greater than 95 mph) on the 20 they put in play.
SPORTS GAMBLING
Patrick McGreevy on sports gambling: Californians would be able to legally bet on Lakers, Dodgers and Rams games at tribal casinos and horse-racing tracks under an initiative that qualified Thursday for the November 2022 ballot, touching off what is expected to be an expensive battle with excluded card clubs over who should benefit from the potential billion-dollar market.
The constitutional amendment to allow sports betting was written by Native American tribes that showed their political might in 2008 when they spent $115 million to win approval of four ballot measures that preserved an expansion of gambling they had been granted a year earlier.
“This is an important step toward giving Californians the opportunity to participate in sports wagering while also establishing safeguards and protections against underage gambling,” said Mark Macarro, tribal chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, one of the 18 tribes that are part of the Coalition to Authorize Regulated Sports Wagering behind the ballot measure.
On the other side, card clubs left out from a share of the sports wagering are expected to spend a significant amount of money to oppose the new ballot measure, which they have referred to as an attempt to monopolize the gaming industry. The campaign committee called “No on the Gambling Power Grab” reported raising more than $1 million in cash contributions last year.
BASEBALL
Jorge Castillo on baseball’s latest dirty secret: After St. Louis Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos was ordered to change his cap Wednesday because umpires disapproved of the sunscreen on the bill, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt broached the taboo topic of pitchers’ widespread use of foreign substances in defense of his player.
“This is baseball’s dirty little secret,” Shildt told reporters, “and it’s the wrong time and the wrong arena to expose it.”
It’s common knowledge around the majors: More pitchers than ever are using “sticky stuff” to doctor baseballs to increase spin rate, a property that front offices have increasingly prioritized when evaluating performance. A better spin rate usually improves a pitch’s movement, increasing the chances of a hitter swinging and missing. Strikeouts are the preferred outcome in 2021. Pitchers are rewarded — with service time and money — when they miss bats.
This week, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed he has seen an increase of foreign substances to manipulate pitch movement in recent years.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Steve Henson on umpiring high school baseball games: Anyone who has participated in sports remembers the thought. It struck first when you woke up, maybe again after lunch.
It triggered anticipation, butterflies and delight.
I’ve got a game today.
Decades after playing a sport for the last time, that thought still occurs to me regularly. I’m with the Channel Coast Officials Assn., which provides officials at high school games from Calabasas to Santa Barbara. I’m privileged to be a baseball umpire, along with my partner the only people besides players allowed between the foul lines.
We strive to be invisible. If umpires are discussed after a game, we probably didn’t do a spectacular job. When we’re not noticed, that’s spectacular enough. We relish being the only people who don’t care who wins.
It’s reward enough to be constantly learning, hopefully improving at something physically and mentally challenging at an age when others might be content on a couch.
The lessons take many forms. As the base umpire at a game at Thousand Oaks High this season, I looked to my left and noticed the first base coach, Rod Stillwell, backed up a good 10 feet behind the coach’s box.
NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE/RESULTS
First round
All times Pacific
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Utah vs. No. 8 Memphis
Memphis 112, Utah 109
Utah 141, Memphis 129
Saturday: at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Monday: at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., TNT
*Wed., June 2: at Utah, TBD, TBD
*Friday, June 4: at Memphis, TBD, TBD
*Sunday, June 6: at Utah, TBD, TBD
No. 2 Phoenix vs. No. 7 Lakers
Phoenix 99, Lakers 90
Lakers 109, Phoenix 102
Lakers 109, Phoenix 95
Sunday: at Lakers, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Tuesday: at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Lakers, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Portland
Portland 123, Denver 109
Denver 128, Portland 109
Denver 120, Portland 115
Saturday: at Portland, 1 p.m., TNT
Tuesday: at Denver, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Portland, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Denver, TBD, TBD
No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas
Dallas 113, Clippers 103
Dallas 127, Clippers 121
Today: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
*Wed., June 2: at Clippers, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Dallas, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at Clippers, TBD, TBD
EASTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Philadelphia vs. No. 8 Washington
Philadelphia 125, Washington 118
Philadelphia 120, Washington 95
Saturday: at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Monday: at Washington, 4 p.m., TNT
*Wed., June 2: at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Washington, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
No. 2 Brooklyn vs. No. 7 Boston
Brooklyn 104, Boston 93
Brooklyn 130, Boston 108
Today: at Boston, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Sunday: at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday: at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Boston, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Milwaukee vs. No. 6 Miami
Milwaukee 109, Miami 107
Milwaukee 132, Miami 98
Milwaukee 113, Miami 84
Saturday: at Miami, 10:30 a.m., TNT
*Tuesday: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Miami, TBD, TBD
*Sat. June 5: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
No. 4 New York vs. No. 5 Atlanta
Atlanta 107, New York 105
New York 101, Atlanta 92
Today: at Atlanta, 4 p.m., ESPN
Sunday: at Atlanta, 10 a.m., ABC
*Wed., June 2: at New York, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at New York, TBD, TBD
*-if necessary
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE/RESULTS
First round
All times Pacific
East Division
Pittsburgh vs. NY Islanders
New York 4, Pittsburgh 3 (OT)
Pittsburgh 2, New York 1
Pittsburgh 5, New York 4
New York 4, Penguins 1
New York 3, Pittsburgh 2 (2OT)
New York 5, Pittsburgh 3
New York wins series, 4-2
Washington vs. Boston
Washington 3, Boston 2 (OT)
Boston 4, Washington 3 (OT)
Boston 3, Washington 2 (2 OT)
Boston 4, Washington 1
Boston 3, Washington 1
Boston wins series, 4-1
Central Division
Carolina vs. Nashville
Carolina 5, Nashville 2
Carolina 3, Nashville 0
Nashville 5, Carolina 4 (2OT)
Nashville 4, Carolina 3 (2OT)
Carolina 3, Nashville 2 (OT)
Carolina 4, Nashville 3 (OT)
Carolina wins series, 4-2
Florida vs. Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4
Tampa Bay 3, Florida 1
Florida 6, Tampa Bay 5 (OT)
Tampa Bay 6, Florida 2
Florida 4, Tampa Bay 1
Tampa Bay 4, Florida 2
Tampa Bay wins series, 4-2
North Division
Toronto vs. Montreal
Montreal 2, Toronto 1
Toronto 5, Montreal 1
Toronto 2, Montreal 1
Toronto 4, Montreal 0
Montreal 4, Toronto 3 (OT)
*Saturday: at Montreal, 4:30 p.m., NBCSN
*Monday: at Toronto, TBD
Edmonton vs. Winnipeg
Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 1
Winnipeg 1, Edmonton 0
Winnipeg 5, Edmonton 4 (OT)
Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 3 (3OT)
Winnipeg wins series, 4-0
West Division
Colorado vs. St. Louis
Colorado 4, St. Louis 1
Colorado 6, St. Louis 3
Colorado 5, St. Louis 1
Colorado 5, St. Louis 2
Colorado wins series, 4-0
Vegas vs. Minnesota
Minnesota 1, Vegas 0 (OT)
Vegas 3, Minnesota 1
Vegas 5, Minnesota 2
Vegas 4, Minnesota 0
Minnesota 4, Vegas 2
Minnesota 3, Vegas 0
Today: at Vegas, 6 p.m., NBCSN
Second round
New York Islanders vs. Boston
Saturday: New York at Boston, 5 p.m., NBC
*-if necessary
THIS DATE IN SPORTS HISTORY
1901 — Parader, ridden by Fred Landry, overcomes a bad start to win the Preakness Stakes by two lengths over Sadie S.
1904 — Bryn Mawr, ridden by Eugene Hildebrand, wins the Preakness Stakes by one length over Wotan.
1946 — The Washington Senators beat New York 2-1 in the first night game at Yankee Stadium.
1956 — Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a home run in his eighth consecutive game for a major league record. Long connects off Brooklyn’s Carl Erskine at Forbes Field.
1978 — Al Unser wins his third Indianapolis 500, the fifth driver to do so, edging Tom Sneva by 8.19 seconds.
1985 — The San Diego Sockers beat the Baltimore Blast 5-3 to win the MISL title in five games.
1995 — Jacques Villeneuve overcomes one penalty and wins by another in the Indianapolis 500. Villeneuve drives to victory after fellow Canadian Scott Goodyear is penalized for passing the pace car on the final restart.
2000 — Dutch swimming star Inge de Bruijn sets her third world record in three days, adding the 100 freestyle mark to the 50 and 100 butterfly marks she set previously at the Sheffield Super Grand Prix. De Bruijn becomes the first swimmer to finish under 54.00 in the 100 freestyle at 53.80 seconds.
2006 — Sam Hornish Jr. overcomes a disastrous mistake in the pits and a pair of Andrettis — Marco and father Michael — to win the second-closest Indianapolis 500 ever, by .0635 seconds.
2006 — Barry Bonds hits his 715th home run during the San Francisco Giants’ 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies to slip past Babe Ruth and pull in behind Hank Aaron and his long-standing record of 755.
2007 — Duke has an almost unfathomable comeback fall short in a 12-11 loss to Johns Hopkins in the NCAA lacrosse championship game. The Blue Devils never finished their 2006 season, and then make it all the way back to the title game.
2011 — Novak Djokovic extends his perfect start to the season at the French Open, beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for his 40th straight victory this year. Djokovic’s 40-0 start to 2011 is the second-best opening streak in the Open era, which started in 1968.
2020 — The Boston Marathon canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. The race had originally been scheduled for April 20 before being postponed for five months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
And finally
DJ Peters hit his first major-league home run Thursday for the Dodgers against the Giants. Watch it here.
Until next time...
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
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